Dzemda

Dzemda is a locality in Tunisia.

Africa Proconsularis (125 AD)

The site is located near Jougan, Tunisia[1][2] 20 kilometers south west of Zaghouan. The site is notable for ruins from the Roman era.[3] The ruins are considered to be two separate Roman settlements, situated on opposites sides of a wadi:

  • Henchir Ksour Dzemda, a vicus and possible imperial estate
  • Sempta (Africa), a Municipum (city).

Henchir Ksour Dzemda

Henchir Ksour Dzemda is a set of ruins located at Dzemda in Tunisia,[4][5] 20 kilometers south-west of Zaghouan noted for ruins from the Roman era,[6] including a structure of Vaulted construction.[7] Alfred Merlin excavated the site and noted its occupation from 199BC - 799AD.[8] These dates agree roughly with the Conquest of Roman North Africa to the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb. The site is notable for the abundance of its inscription remains.[9] [10][11][12]

Although being legally a vicus (village) the settlement has considerable remains. Given its location, it is probable that the village was actually an imperial estate, which were common in the area during this time. The town was also the seat of an ancient Bishopric.[13] This adds weight to the probability it was an imperial estate.

Semta

During Roman times, Annaeus was near the Municipum of Semta (Africa) which lay on the opposite side of the Faida-Dzemda stream. The two sets of ruins have been treated in modern times together[14] though the presence of two different bishops in the two settlements indicates separate entities during the Roman and Byzantine era.

References
  1. R.B. Hitchner, Vicus Annaeus .
  2. Barrington Atlas, 2000, pl. 32 E4.
  3. Montesanti, A. 2011. “Mappa archeologica tunisina. Quei siti e dove”, in InStoria. Quaderni di percorsi storici. InTunisia, 15, Roma, 114-23.
  4. R.B. Hitchner, Vicus Annaeus .
  5. Babelon, Ernest. Archaeological Atlas of Tunisia:. Special edition of the topographical maps published by the Ministry of War. Accompanied by an explanatory text (E. Leroux. , 1893].
  6. Montesanti, A. 2011. “Mappa archeologica tunisina. Quei siti e dove”, in InStoria. Quaderni di percorsi storici. In Tunisia, 15, Roma, 114-23.
  7. Carte de l'Atlas archéolgique de la Tunisie: Feuille 42 , footnote 9.
  8. Merlin, Alfred,Vicus Annaeus (Henchir Ksour Dzemda), at Trismegistos.
  9. Louis Poinssot & Robert Lantier , Q. Geminius Sabinus, Princeps peregrinorum, Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres / Année 1923 / Vol67, Num3, p.197-201.
  10. Hahn, E Adelaide. The Classical Weekly17 (Oct 1, 1923): p119-120.
  11. see also Juan José Palao Vicente , Legio VII Gemina (Pia) Felix. Study of a Roman Legion (University of Salamanca, 2006) p188.
  12. Herman Dessau, [https://archive.org/stream/inscriptioneslat03dessuoft/inscriptioneslat03dessuoft_djvu.txt INCKIPTIONES LATINAE SELECTAE. (Paris, 1991).
  13. Jean Louis Maier, The Episcopate of Roman, Vandal and Byzantine Africa (Swiss Institute of Rome 1973 ) p197.
  14. Carte de l'Atlas archéolgique de la Tunisie: Feuille 42 , footnote 9.
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